Day dawns for new homeowners

ONE BY ONE: Eastern Cape department of human settlements MEC Helen Sauls-August visited Kenton-on-Sea recently to hand over 20 of 564 promised RDP houses. The intention is to have all the promised houses finished by the end of the year

LOUISE CARTER

RESIDENTS of Kenton-on-Sea were revelling after the promise of receiving a RDP house finally came to the surface following an official handover by Eastern Cape department of human settlements MEC Helen Sauls-August recently.

Twenty out of the intended 564 houses were handed over to anxious residents, some who have actively been involved in protests and blockading the R72, forcing Ndlambe Municipality’s hand at delivering on promises.

The houses that the Sauls-August handed over consist of two bedrooms, an open plain kitchen, a lounge and a bathroom.

According to municipal spokesman Cecil Mbolekwa, the residents finally got what they wanted, and even though 544 houses still need to be built, the MEC handed over those that were ready to some of the residents.

Mbolekwa said that as more houses are completed, more residents will be able to move in, as the municipality did not want residents to wait any longer.

Among the families who received houses there was a 93-year-old woman who could not hold back her tears as the MEC handed over her house, Mbolekwa said.

Recipient Mhamha Mayinje said she had lost hope of ever owning her house as she has been staying in a shack her whole life.

“Life is too difficult in the shack because every time when it’s raining you will be up all night moving things from one place to another,” said Mayinye.

She said she would move to the house even if the electricity has not yet been installed as she could not wait any longer to be in a new house.

While addressing the RDP house recipients, Sauls-August pleaded that they do not sell their houses as they will not receive another one.

“If one is moving to another place she/he needs to inform the human settlement minister so that the department can buy that house and give it to another beneficiary. Please do not set fire inside those houses as they will damage,” Sauls-August said.

She explained that the agreement between them (department of human settlements) and Eskom is that they will install electricity when 80% of the houses are complete.

Mbolekwa said the municipality was working hard to finish the remaining houses which are intended to be complete by the end of this year.

“As they finish more houses more people will be moved in, bit by bit,” he said.